sopes

Since sopes are my most recent discovery, I couldn't resist trying them when I saw them on the menu at my neighborhood Mexican place (La Pinata: great margaritas, mediocre food).

They were somewhat different: although they were pretty chewy, the shells were raised and puffy and browned all over, as if they had been deep fried, as opposed to the ones from the taco truck which had a denser texture (like tamale masa), and were pale with only light grill marks.

Summer is in full swing, which (hopefully) means trips to the park or the beach. If you’re taking a picnic along, you should know a few food safety rules so you can pack, transport, and eat your meal without the threat of food poisoning. Liz Weinandy